New show calls 'timeout' for squabbling couples

The new NBC series The Marriage Ref offers everyday couples the chance to air their differences on national television and have the argument settled by resident referee Tom Papa.

PASADENA, Calif. - The new NBC series The Marriage Ref offers everyday couples the chance to air their differences on national television and have the argument settled by resident referee Tom Papa.

The show, set to make its debut Sunday before sliding into its regular Thursday-night spot, also marks the return of Jerry Seinfeld to network television.

Seinfeld is the executive producer and will be an occasional guest panelist.

The on-air arbitration will center on simple arguments - such as whether it's right or wrong for a husband to park his motorcycle in the living room or whether the family pet should be stuffed after it dies.

Prizes will be awarded, but nothing substantial.

Seinfeld says that just ending the argument will be reward enough.

Papa suggests that shows such as Dr. Phil are better-equipped to handle big problems.

"This is all light and funny. It's all just silly. And we find in our marriages if you laugh at all these crazy situations, you survive," he said. "And that's what this show is about - surviving. We want these marriages to flourish and be OK, so we just want to have a laugh with it all."

The only job for the panel is to be funny; they will have no influence on the final decision, made solely by Papa.

"People get into arguments," Seinfeld said. "If you ever played a sandlot game and there's no umpires, the fights just go on and on. It's like marriage."

It's a good thing the show isn't tackling tough topics. Papa might not be the most impartial referee. He thinks that when a husband and a wife have a disagreement, the wife has a point of view that she's trying to put across, and the husband spends the entire fight trying to figure out what the fight is about.

Seinfeld has already learned one way to avoid having to go to the marriage ref: Never set yourself up for an argument.

He might have executive producer next to his name, but he publicly credits his wife of 10 years, Jessica, with coming up with the show's concept.

The Seinfelds were having a dispute in front of a friend. Instead of letting the friend leave, they asked for an outside opinion.